Daily Pilot

Two species of whales not typically seen in this area were spotted off the coast of Newport Beach this week. Ryan Lawler, owner of whale-watching company Newport Coastal Adventure, said he saw a pod of sperm whales about 15 miles offshore Monday and killer whales about two miles out Tuesday while...

Killer whales

Courtesy of Newport Coastal Adventure

Killer whales are pictured off the coast near Newport Beach on Tuesday, a sight not seen off Orange County since early 2015, according to Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure.

Killer whales are pictured off the coast near Newport Beach on Tuesday, a sight not seen off Orange County since early 2015, according to Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure.

Costa Mesa and Newport Beach

Teacher Patrick DeVusser encourages his class of 30 11-year-olds at Kaiser Elementary School in Costa Mesa to stand still and focus on each word as they say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. That dedication to patriotism helped the 67-year-old Navy veteran win the Veterans of Foreign Wars'...

Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Seal Beach

The Fountain Valley City Council adopted a five-pronged economic revitalization plan with long- and short-term goals aimed to serve as a city guideline for the upcoming new year. The plan was approved 4 to 1 with Councilman Mark McCurdy dissenting. Long-term goals include revitalizing economic...

Weekend

This is the first in a series of three columns reviewing 2016 in local theater. For the two professional theaters on the Orange Coast, South Coast Repertory and the Laguna Playhouse, reality had a significant impact on production quality during 2016. The top shows at both Equity establishments centered...

Opinion

For nearly 11 years, it has been my great honor and privilege to serve on the Newport Beach City Council and, from 2010 and 2013, as mayor. As I leave office, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Newport Beach for the opportunity to serve our city. Working together, we have...

I was dismayed to read Scott Peotter's editorial and its disrespectful tone toward Stop Polluting Our Newport, or SPON. ("Commentary: Why I voted in favor of the Museum House proposal," Dec.1). Regardless of where one stands on the issues, our democratic process works best when there is respect...

Newport Beach Councilman Scott Peotter's troubling rant in which he tries to weave his personal right-wing political views into the Museum House controversy shows just how far an elected representative in Newport Beach thinks he can go to support developers in lieu of his constituents ("Commentary:...

Why is it that we so often appreciate people more after they are gone? Councilman Tony Petros isn't gone yet, but he is leaving the Newport Beach City Council soon. When I expressed my feelings of disappointment over his departure with some of my neighbors, they too said that they were sincerely...

Crime

A 53-year-old man was arrested early Sunday in Fountain Valley on suspicion of indecent exposure after police received a report of a man masturbating in an alley, authorities said. Fountain Valley police responded at 7:30 a.m. to a rear alley at 18533 Brookhurst St., where they found a man lying...

Costa Mesa firefighters quickly extinguished a blaze at a radiator repair shop Sunday afternoon. Crews responded just after noon to reports of smoke coming from Harbor Radiator at 2129 Harbor Blvd., said fire Capt. Chris Coates. Firefighters forced their way into the business and found flames coming...

A man suffered a broken jaw when he was robbed and beaten by a group of men in Costa Mesa early Sunday. The man was walking just after midnight in the 1800 block of Placentia Avenue when a black sedan pulled up next to him, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Mike Manson. Five men got out and demanded...

A man was arrested Saturday in connection with a homicide investigation into the death of a woman whose body was found Friday afternoon in her Huntington Beach home, police said. The Orange County coroner’s office identified her as 50-year-old Marylou Sarkissian. Jason Becher, 41, was arrested...